Improvement in car-trucks



G S BANG & L. D. URDI 2Sheets-Sheet1.

Gar-Truck.

.No. 201,217. Patented March 12, I878.

m MA. W

2 Sheets-=Sheet 2. G. S. BANGER & L. D. HURD.

Oar-Truck.

Patented. March 12, I878.

".PETERS. PHOTOJJTHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTONv D.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. BAN GER, OF WVILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, AND LORENZO D. HURD,OF WELLSVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THEMSELVES AND JAMES DEVLIN, OFWILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

IM PROVEMENT IN CAR-TRUCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,217, dated March12, 1878; application filed January 3, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, GEORGE S. BANGER, ofWilliamsport, inthe county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, andLORENZO D. HURD, of Wellsville, in the county of Allegany and State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gar-Trucks; andwe do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact descriptionof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawmgs, and to theletters of reference marked thereon Our invention relates to that classof cartrucks wherein the wheels are secured to independent axles, andadapted to turn so as to follow the line of a curve, thereby overcomingthe friction which results in the ordinary construction from thegrinding of the wheels upon the curvedtrack, and also greatly reducingthe wear and tear' both of the wheels and of the track; and the objectof our invention is to produce a truck of this character more eswheels;and, further, in the construction of the truck-frame to adapt it for usewith the turning wheels, all as fully hereinafter explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to make 7 and use our invention, weproceed to describe the same, hav1ng reference to the drawings, 1nWh1Cll- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the truck detached from thebody of the car; Fig. 2, a

side view fthe truck and car-body, with a portion of thebody broken awayto show the standards and braces for supporting the truck upon thewheels; Fig. 3, a bottom View of the truck and car-body; and Fig. 4, avertical section through one of the wheels, its journals and bearings,on the line of the axle to the same.

Like letters denote corresponding parts.

A represents a car-body, and B the frame of the truck. The car-body isprovided with chambers a, into which the wheels project, and at the endsof these chambers are situated the supporting-springs 1), preferablyfour in number, which rest directly upon the frame of the truck andbolts b may be passed through the truck-frame and springs, and through aportion of the car-body, to hold the parts in position, if foundnecessary.

The truck-frame B is constructed in two parts, 18 B flexibly coupledtogether by links or bars 0, which are pivoted to each frame. Each ofthe frames B B is composed of two longitudinal bars or beams, 01 d, oneach side thereof, running in the direction of the length of thecar-body, each pair of bars at d being placed just far enough apart toaccommodate between them one of the wheels, its axle and bearings. Thesebars are rigidly connected together at their front and rear ends bycrossbars 0 e andbetween the inner longitudinal bars 01 is placed one ormore cross-bars, e The springs b, before mentioned, rest on thecross-bars e e, preferably between their junctions with the longitudinalbars d d, and directly to the front and rear of the wheels.

0 G are the front and rear wheels of the truck, supported, respectively,in the two parts 13 B of the truck-frame. Each wheel is secured to orcast in one piece with an axle, D, which is made either of wrought orcast iron, and projects only a short distance on each side of the wheel.These. axles are journaled at each end in segmental bearing-plates f f,bolted together, and preferably inclosing the entire length of theaxles, where they project beyond the hub of the wheels.

These bearingplates are formed in the shape of a segment of a circle,the rounded portions being farthest from the wheels. The bearing-platesf f turn in circular bearingplates g, which are rigidly secured to thelongitudinal bars d d, and project inwardly ally, independent of eachother.

from such bars. Each pair of bearing-plates ff is intended, in practice,to be constructed with a flange (not shown) projecting over theadjoining circular bearing-plate g, by which the wheels and theirstandards are held in place, and prevented from dropping out of thetruck-frame, should such frame be raised from the track.

Upon the segmental bearing-plates to each wheel is mounted a verticalforked standard, E, which straddles the wheel, and is secured at itslower ends to the upper plates f of each bearing. On top of eachstandard is placed a circular bearing-plate, E, and braces F F pass overthese bearing-plates, and are secured to the inner sides of thelongitudinal bars (1 cl. A pivot, h, is secured to the top of eachstandard E, and has a convex end resting in a socket in the under sideof the bearing-plate above it. From each bearingplate a bolt, h, passesupwardly through the braces, and holds the parts together.

These braces F F support the truck-frame upon the wheels, and thepivotal bearings of the wheels are on the under side of the plates E,which are directly above the center of the wheels, while the circularbearings in the plates g, at the axles, serve to guide the wheels intheir turning movement.

To the lower plates f of each bearing are secured the inner ends ofhorizontal forked arms G, which inclose the wheels, and extend outwardlyon the under side of the truck to the ends of the same.

At each end of the truck-frame is a connecting-bar, G, which is pivotedto the ends of the forked arms G.

H H are two center bars, which are pivoted to the center of thecross-bars e of the truckframe, and to the center of the connectingbarsG. The inner ends of these center bars are pivoted together by a bolt,1', which is secured to one bar, and works in a slot, 6, in the otherbar, thus allowing the two parts of the truck to move independently ofeach other without afiecting the operation of the center bars, while themovement of one center bar on its pivot swings the other center bar inthe same direction.

To the ends of these center bars are secured the draw-bars, having asuitable elastic connection and it will be seen that when one of thecenter bars is drawn on an oblique line, as when the horse turns into acurve, the wheels will be turned to conform to the curve,

as shown in Fig. 3.

By having the truck-frame constructed in two parts, joined by flexibleconnections, the

'whole running-gear of the car is easily accommodated to any unevennessin the track or road-bed, without causing any strain or twist in anyother part of the truck, the two parts of the truck moving vertically,but not later This con struction of the track is essential to thesuccessful working of the turning wheelsfsince the truck-frame has to beso made as not to move independently at opposite ends in a lateraldirection; and ifconstructed rigidly to eifect this result, it will besoon so twisted or strained by the unevenness of the track as to becomeinsecure, and will require frequent repair.

By having the pivotal bearing of each wheel directly above it, thewheels can be turned from a straight course with the least possiblefriction, and the circular bearing-plates at the axles prevent thewheels from turning in or out, and thus hold them at all timesperpendicular to the track.

The forked standards connecting the segmental bearing-plates with thepivotal bearings make a very rigid support in connection a with thecircular bearing-plate and the braces, and are simple in construction.

The arrangement of the center bars, the forked arms, and the connectingbars, for turning the wheels, is also very effective in operation, andis simple in construction, and not likely to get out of order.

The wheels being mounted on the center of short independent axles, andthese axles having an equal bearing upon each side, so that the wheelswill turn from points directly over the track, if one wheel shouldstrike an obstruction, it would not be thrown out of line with thetrack, but would ride over the obstruction, because the force exerted bythe stationary obstruction would only throw the segmental bearing-platewith more friction against the curved plates secured to the truck-frame,and this force acts so nearly in line with the center of the axle thatit would not have sufficient leverage to turn the wheels but onstreetrailroads, if the horse should travel at either side of the track,or move to one side in starting a car, there would be a tendency to turnthe wheels and throw the car from the track without some other meanswere provided than those already described. To meet such a contingency,we have designed to use a spring clutch or bolt, which will catch andhold the center bar firmly, so that it cannot be moved laterally whenthe car is on a straight track, and can be controlled by the driver,either by pressing on a pin with his foot or by moving a hand-lever, sothat the clutch or pin can be disengaged from the center bar when thecar approaches a curve.

Having thus fully described our car-truck and explained some of itsadvantages, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. In a oar-truck having turning wheels, the I combination, with thetruck-frame, provided with a pair of longitudinal bars, a a, forsupporting the bearing-plates of each axle, of the wheels, each mountedupon a short independent axle between the said longitudinal bars, andsegmental plates at each end of the axles moving upon the bearing-plateson the longitudinal bars, whereby the wheels 'areturned from a centralpoint directly over the track, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In a car-truck having turning wheels, the combination of the wheels 0and the short independent axles D, upon which the wheels are mounted,with the segmental bearing- -plates at each end of the axles, and theframe or standard connecting the bearing-plates of each axle, with apivotal bearing directly above the center of the wheel, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the segmental bearing-plates f and the wheelsof the car, of the forked standards E, bearing-plates E, and braces F F,substantially as described and shown.

4. The combination, with the wheels 0 C and segmental bearing-plates f,of the forked arms G, connecting-bars G, and center bars H H,substantially as described and shown.

5. The truck-frame B, constructed in two parts, B B hinged together byrigid links 0, arranged so that the two parts of the frame can moveindependently in a vertical direction, but not laterally, substantiallyas described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 17th day of December, 1877.

GEO. S. BANGER. L. D. HURD. Witnesses:

H. HINCKLEY, G. W. MAYNARD.

